World Cup Thoughts

* It hasn't happened yet, but over the next few weeks, several World Cup matches will be decided by penalty kicks. If the game is tied at the end of the second half, there are two, fifteen-minute overtime sessions (it is not sudden death/golden goal). If the game is still tied, it goes to a shoot-out. I am here to say that this is garbage. This is the equivalent of a basketball game ending with a free throw contest or a baseball game ending with a home run derby. I think soccer games should go until someone scores a goal just like the NHL playoffs. I don't care if players are tired. The game should be decided on the field; 11 vs. 11. Maybe FIFA can incorporate a rule change to add an additional substitution at the end of each overtime if there's really a concern about players being tired (of course, these are professional athletes playing in the sport's greatest event...they should be fine).

* I watched the Portugal-Netherlands match today. I believe that there were 16 yellow cards and four red cards for players receiving a second yellow! I don't want to say that the ref lost control of the match, but he lost control of the match. Portugal's reward for winning 1-0: they get to play England without Deco (of Barcelona) and Costinha who will be suspended.

* The name of Argentina's coach is Jose Pekerman. Pekerman! I feel like I should have known this before yesterday's Argentina-Mexico match.